Luminous locator or marker



y Ms ATTORNEYS o l z3 l d; 4 l 5 Z234 UNITED Astares PATENT FFICE.

FRAZER W. GAY,l 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

LUMINOUS LOCATOR OR MARKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 7, 192e.

Application filed August 15,--1919. Serial No. 317,836.

able others skilled in the artlto which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The present invention has reference, generally, to a novel construction of luminous locator devices; and the invention relates, more particularly, to a novel construction of locator or marker device employing in its structure anovel combination and arrangement of inherently lumlnous materlal withA a material adapted to be activated by light rays to produce a luminosity after said light rays are cut olf.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide a cheap, simple and eiiicient locator or marker device employing for the production of its luminous eifects a novel combination and association of a light activiated material, -such as crystallin phosphorescent zinc sulfid which absorbs and stores light and subsequently yields up the same when the charging light rays are discontinued, with an inherently luminous or light generating material, such as a radium charged phosphorescent material.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel construction of locator or marker device adapted to yield the maximum of visibility with a minimum of y material.

Other objects of the present invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

With the various objects of the present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction of luminous locator or marker device hereinafter set forth; and

the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinatlons of the device, parts and substances, as well as in the details Y* of the construction ofthe same, all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and then finally embodied 1n the claims appended hereto.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

igure 1 is a face view of one form of my novel luminous locator or marker device made according to and embodying the principles of my present invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation or edge View of the same; and Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-section of the same, taken on line 3-3 in said Fig. l, and drawn on an enlarged-scale.

Fig. 4 is a face view of a slightly modified construction of my novel luminous locatorv or marker device; Fig. 5 is a side elevation or edge view of the same; and Fig. 6 is a vertical crossfsection of the same taken on line 6-6 in said Fig. 5, and drawn on an enlarged scale.

Fig. 7 is a face view of another modied form of my novel luminous locator or marker device; and Fig. 8 is a vertical cross section of the same taken on line 8-8 in said Fig.f7.

Similar characters of reference are em tained in luminous locator or marker de vices. The cheap phosphorescent material may be a crystallin phosphorescent zinc sulfid, or other phosphorescent sulid or similar material, which is` capable of being activated by light rays, so that it will glow or yield up the light produced by such activation when the activating light rays are cut off. The inherently luminous material may be a phosphorescent suld or similar material actually charged with a radio-active material. A desired area of the base or carrying element maybe coated with the light activated phosphorescent sulfid, upon which is su erimposed, in a smaller area, a

strip or be t of material charged with a nous material is placed inproximity to the non radio active charged phosphorescent material, the radium rays ofl-.the former, which carry an appreciable distance from their source, slightly activate the latter material causing the same tol glow.

The use of the two characters of material in combination in connection with luminous locator or marker devices is also intended to compensate for the time la in the human eye, that iskto compensate or that interval of time required for the adjustment 'of the eye to sudden and great change in the intensity of illumination of visible objects. In other words, if a person turns out the light in a room, so that he is in total darkness, it is necessary for easy visibility to have objects glow very brightl whereas when the eye has adjusted itselg7 to the darkness a much dimmer glow is sufficient to give the same easy visibility. I therefore propose to .combine in the locator or marker device a portion which will glow ve brightly when suddenly transferred from light to dark surroundings, this relatively great intensity to be obtained by the use of a relatively large quantity of cheap light activated phosphorescent material, together witha smaller portion which will provide a long continued glow of lesser intensity to be obtained by the use of a small quantit the more expensive radio activel7 charge or inherently luminous materia Referring to the said drawings I have illustratedtherein certain desired forms of luminous locator or marker devices employing the materials and principles above set forth. In said drawings the reference-character 1 indicates a dlsk of some suitable transparent material, preferably provided in its body with a concentric depressed portion 2 providing a seat or groove 2, in the bottom of which is arranged a strip or ring,

' relatively narrow in widt of radio-actively charged material 3. The outlying or bordermg areas of said seat or groove 2 being coated with a covering of cheap phosphorescent 'material 4, capable of being activated to produce luminosity when ex sed to light rays. This disk so treated wit respective materials 3 and 4 is provided with a central peroration 5, and also with a second perforation 6 located near the circumferential edge or periphery of the same The base or carrying element provided by the disk 1 being of transparent material renders the luminosity of. the materials 3 and 4 clearly visible therethrough. Consequentlythe marker or locator so constructed may be' attached to or near any article, the location of which is desired to be indicated in the dark, by means of a suitable fastener, such as a push-pin 7 If it is desired to secure the marker or locator by suspending the same from the device or article to be located, then a cord or other suspendinfv means mayl be passed through the peribration 6, so as to connect the same to said device or article. The arrangement of the luminous materials 3 and greatest .visibility with a minimum am :unt

of the materials.

Referring to Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive, I have illustrated therein a slightly modified form of my locator or marker somewhat better adapted for use when suspended,Ak as, for example, f'rom the switch pull chain of an electric lamp. In this modified arrangement I employ the transparent disk 1 having the seat 2 containing respective luminous materials 3 and 4, but in addition thereto I employ a second transparent cover disk 8, which I cement or otherwise secure over the back of said disk 1, thereby rotecting the materials 3l and 4 from being dislodged from .the seat 2 or overlaid with soil from contact with the fingers. The disk 1 possesses the above-mentioned perforations 5 and 6, and the cover disk 8 likewise possesses similarly located perforations 5 and 6' which register with the respective perforations of the disk l when said cover disk is secured thereto. In these views I have illustrated the modied locator or marker attached to a chain 9 engaged through the perforations 6 and 6', such for example, as a switch pull of an electric lamp, although it will also be understood that the modified form of locator or marker may also be attached to a desired place or object by thrusting a push-pm through the central perforations 5 and 5.

"Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawin I have illustrated did form of my-present v advantages above mentioned broadly considered, will be provided by this last-described modification of my invention, in a manner rendering the same peculiarly adaptable for house-numbers and similar purposes.

Having thus described my invention, l claim 1. A locator device comprising a carrying disk of transparent material provided with an annular groove, a ring of inherently luminous radio-aotively charged material seated in the bottom of said groove, the area of said groove adjacent to the ring of inherently luminous material being coated with a covering of phosphorescent material adapted to be activated for luminosity by exposure to light, and a cover disk of transparent material secured to said carrying disk to close said groove.

2. A locator device comprising a carrying disk of transparent material provided with an annular groove, a ring of inherently luminous radio-actively charged material seated in the bottom of said groove, the area of said groove adjacent to the ring of inherently luminous material being coated With a covering of phosphorescent material adapted to be activated for luminosity by exposure to light, acover disk of transparent material secured to said carrying disk to close said groove, said carrying disk and Said cover disk having alined perforations to re ceive attaching means.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 13 day'o August, 1919.

FRAZER W. GAY. Vitnesses:

FREDK. C. FRAENTZEL,

BARBARA W. SUTTERLIN; 

